Best Cookware for Induction Cooktops
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Darrian Wilkins
- Last update: January 27, 2021
Made In Sous Chef Kit
Made In’s best selling kit has virtually every piece of basic cookware you’ll need.
- Consumer Reports Best Cookware Set of 2020
- Comes with three different kinds of frying pan: clad stainless steel, carbon steel, and nonstick coated so all of your frying needs are covered, from broiled steaks to perfect fried eggs.
- Oven/broiler safe up to 800F (500F for the nonstick pan)
- 5 ply clad stainless steel with aluminum core for durability, induction compatibility and even heat distribution
- Great customer service and warranty
- Made in USA, France and Italy with American steel
- Includes a 10” stainless clad frying pan, 10” nonstick frying pan, 12” carbon steel frying pan, 2 qt saucepan with lid, 4 qt saucepan with lid, 3.5 qt saute pan with lid, 8 qt stockpot with lid plus a can of carbon steel seasoning wax.
A solid set of cookware workhorses from the top name in cookware for over 40 years.
- 5 ply clad stainless steel with aluminum core is not only durable but has excellent heat retention and distribution. Stainless cladding ensures induction compatibility.
- All pieces are oven and broiler safe up to 600F without lids
- Made in the USA
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Includes a 10” frying pan, 1.5 qt saucepan with lid, 3 qt saute pan with lid, and 8 qt stockpot with lid.
We are not sure if you are looking for single items or full induction cookware sets. For that reason we have created custom sets which help choose single items for different price ranges.
Best induction cookware sets to buy in 2020:
- Made In Sous Chef Kit – Best value induction cookware
- All Clad D5 – Best induction cookware set
- ELO Skyline – Best budget induction cookware set
- Made In Cookware Starter Kit- essential cookware for induction
Best Value Cookware for Induction Stove
1. Made In 10 inch Frying Pan
Frying Pan
5 layers of clad stainless and aluminum, fast and even heat retention- it’s hard to beat Made In for value unless you’re looking for a proven heirloom piece. This pan is oven safe to 800F, and is large enough for a few eggs for the whole family, or broiling 2-3 chicken breasts. You could throw this in the dishwasher, but it is easy to just wipe clean with a soft cloth and season with oil. Reviewers praised the quality for price, and a small minority were disappointed in the shipping time but ultimately loved their purchase- so be patient and you can save big!
2. Cooks Standard 10.5 inch Multi-ply Deep Saute Pan w/lid
3. Made In Stockpot, 6qt or 8 qt
Stockpot
Made In has two sizes of stockpot available, and again features 5 ply construction, oven safe up to 800F. Downside is that you cannot use metal utensils, but it is dishwasher safe and easy to clean. 6 qt is great if you are making smaller batches of soups or stews, but for a family of 4 the 8qt will be a more flexible size. As with most Made In products, reviewers love that their products are made in the USA, France and Italy with American steel, but disappointed that their items are sometimes on backorder.
4. Made In Saucepan, 4 qt
Saucepan
We may as well just call this section the “Made In” section, but truly for most basic cookware items it is hard to beat Made In for their quality and price ratio. This saucepan is 5 ply, comes with a lid, has a flared lip and comes in under $100. Also available in 2qt size if you just need a vessel for heating up a serving or two of soup.
Full Set Alternative
Made In Sous Chef Kit
This is Made In’s bestselling kit, and by buying the entire set you save 20% more than if you bought each piece individually, which makes it a smart purchase if you want multiple items anyway. This set has a 10” nonstick frying pan, a 10” stainless clad frying pan, 12” carbon steel frying pan, 2 qt saucepan with lid, 4 qt saucepan with lid, 3.5 qt saute pan with lid, 8 qt stock pot with lid and includes a can of Carbon Steel Seasoning Wax. It was even deemed Consumer Reports Best Cookware Set of 2020! The stainless cookware is 5 ply clad stainless with aluminum core and oven/broiler safe up to 800F, and even the nonstick pan is oven safe up to an impressive 500F – perfect for baked eggs. Some reviewers wished that there had been a 12” stainless pan instead of a carbon steel, but carbon steel is great for extra high temperature cooking so it depends on your cooking needs.
Best High-End Cookware for Induction Stove
1. All Clad D5 Stainless Steel Frying Pan, 10-inch
2. All Clad Tri Ply 3 qt Stainless Steel Saute Pan
3. All Clad 4512 Stainless Steel Tri-ply Stockpot with Lid
4. All Clad D5 3 qt Saucepan
Full Set Alternative
Best Budget Cookware for Induction Stove
1. T-fal G10405 Frypan, 10 inch
2. Cooks Standard Classic Saute Pan with Lid, 3.5 qt
3. Cook N Home 16 qt Stockpot with Lid
4. Lodge Cast Iron 10.5 inch Square Grill Pan
Full Set Alternative
Best Starter Cookware for Induction Stove
1. T-fal G10405 Heatmaster Nonstick Frypan, 10 inch
2. Calphalon Signature Stainless Steel, 12-inch
3. Tramontina 80120/509DS Pot with Strainer Lid, 8quart
4. Cuisinart 7193-20 Chef’s Classic 3 qt. Saucepan with Lid
Full Set Alternative
Made In Cookware’s Starter Kit
This is the ultimate minimalist cookware set, featuring a simple combination of a 10” stainless steel frying pan, a 10” blue carbon steel frying pan, a 2qt saucepan with lid, an 8 qt stockpot with lid, and even includes a can of carbon steel seasoning wax. This set truly has zero bells and whistles but includes some real workhorse items. All of the stainless steel is five-ply clad around aluminum core for durability and even heat distribution, and all items are made in USA or France. Though the two frying pans are the same size, they are a great all-purpose size for 2 people. Plus, the different materials are great for different purposes: the stainless pan is oven and broiler compatible up to 800F, and the blue carbon steel is compatible up to a whopping 1200F- perfect if you have a pizza oven or barbecue or want to broil something under high heat. Out of 2410 reviews (at the time of writing this article), only 5 reviewers gave this set less than 3 stars, and over two thousand reviews were 5 stars! The negative reviews had to do with the length of time between ordering and receiving their product, which can happen as Made In is a smaller company and can get backlogged quickly. Positive reviews rave about the quality, often comparing Made In to prestige brands like All-Clad or Viking, but for a fraction of the price.
If you have never cooked on an induction cooktop before, you may be wondering what you can safely use! This is a common conundrum, but with a little understanding of how induction works and our suggestions for cookware for any budget, you’ll be sautéing, frying, grilling and braising in no time.
How Do Induction Cooktops Work?
Induction cooktops use electrical induction (aka it channels an electrical current) to heat up cookware. Gas ranges with open flames use thermal conduction, and electrical stovetops with coils heat up the coil with electricity which then heats up the cookware. With gas flame and electric coil you can actually lose quite a bit of energy because it isn’t channeled directly to the cooking vessel- sometimes the energy loss is as high as 25%, racking up your bills and slowing down the heating time!
Induction cooktops work by an electric current that travels through a copper wire that lies beneath the ceramic plate of your cooktop. Without getting into too many scientific details about eddy currents or magnetic flux, long story short the current goes through the cookware creates heat. Because of the consistency of the current, you get less hot spots, and the heat is conducted much quicker than with flame- it takes nearly half the time to boil a pot of water! This process begins when your cookware touches the ceramic plate, so having cookware that is not warped on the bottom is essential.
WARNING: Due to the use of magnetic currents, it is recommended that users with pacemakers stand at least 2ft from the cooktop as it can actually interfere with your settings!
What Can I Use?
This technology is not compatible with all types of cookware due to the use of magnetic fields- you must have cookware that is ferromagnetic. This simply means that your cookware must be made of magnetic materials – a magnet should stick to the pan. Pans made of ceramic, copper or aluminum alone will not work on induction cooktops, but multiclad pieces that are layered with stainless steel will work. Cast iron or stainless steel will always work on induction because they are ferromagnetic- but be cautious with cast iron as unpolished cast iron may scratch the ceramic cooking surface, compromising the functionality of your cooktop.
Induction cooktops are efficient, safe and take up little space – there is no need to hesitate when buying cookware if you go forward with a bit of knowledge. We’ve assembled some collections of cookware from various brands, from low budget staples to luxury investment pieces, but all are induction compatible.